Street-indicator.



STREET INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 111111.25, 1909.

1,006,763, Patented Oct. 24, 1911.

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WILLIAM A. LOUTI-I, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STREET-INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1911.

Application filed August 25, 1909. Serial No. 514,488.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM A. LOUTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Street-Indicators, (Case 1), of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to street indicators and has for its object a mechanism which is readily operated in order to successively indicate the names of stations or streets as they are approached.

I am aware that street indicators have been constructed in the past,but they have not passed into general use for the reason that their construction is either very expensive or their operation is deficient.

In my improved form of station indicator, a roll of cloth or other suitable fabric is used and on this roll the names of streets or stations are successively printed. The cloth is wound on a suitable roller from which it passes over idlers between which is an opening or window through which a single name may be seen. The cloth is then passed between two rollers to which is attached suitable operating mechanism. The cloth next passes to a receiving roller on which it is wound as the names of the stations are successively exposed.

The actuating mechanism which is associated with the operating rolls which serve to move the cloth is simple in construction and the names of the stations are exposed by means of pulling on a suitable cord or strap similar to the cord which is attached to the ordinary fare register. After the car has traveled over its predetermined route and the cloth on which the names of the stations are printed has been wound on the receiving roller, the operation of the indicator may be reversed by means of shifting the hook which is attached to the end of the above mentioned cord from its connection with one strap to a similar connection with a second strap. At the same time the pawls associated with one operating roll are released from the ratchets with which they are normally engaged and similar pawls are engaged with similar ratchets associated with the other operating roll by means of a shifting mechanism which will be described hereafter.

The operation of my invention is easy and accurate. The exact construction may be more easily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of my station indicator with part of the front wall removed to show the operating mechanism, and Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

The indicator has a rear wall 1 to which is rigidly attached a casing 2. At the upper part of the rear wall 1 are the slots 3-3 by means of which the indicator may readily be hung from suitable hooks attached to the car. In the front of the casing 2 is an opening or window 4 through which the names of the stations or streets may be read.

Rotatably mounted in the casing 2 is the shaft 5 on which is loosely mounted the roller 6 having the side flange 7. On this roller is wound the cloth or other suitable material 8 on which the names of the streets or stations are printed. Also mounted on the shaft 5 is the friction block 9 which on one end bears against the flange 7 of the roller 6-and on the other end of which is rigidly mounted the sprocket wheel 10. This friction block 9 and its associated sprocket wheel 10 are mounted on shaft 5 in such manner that they are longitudinally slidable along the shaft 5 but cannot be rotated separately from this shaft. This result may be readily accomplished by the use of keyway and key 5 A collar 11 is mounted on the shaft 5 and held in rigid connection therewith by means of the screw 12. A spring 13 bears on one end against the sprocket l0, and on the other end against the collar 11, thereby holding the friction block 9 with more or less pressure against the flange 7 of the roller 6. This pressure may be varied by moving the collar 12 along the shaft 5.

As shown in Fig. 2, the roller 14 lying in the same horizontal plane as the roller 6 is similarly mounted on the shaft 15 and is provided with a friction block similar to block 9 on the end of which is mounted the sprocket wheel 16. A collar 17 holds a spring similar to spring 18 in engagement with the sprocket wheel 16.

Mounted on the shaft 18 is the idler 19 which is placed in position at the front of the indicator just above the opening 4:. Just below the opening 4 is the idler 20 mounted on shaft 21. The idlers 19 and 20 serve to guide the cloth 8 in a vertical plane ust behind the opening 4 in front of the indicator.

A shaft 22 is rigidly mounted in the sides of the casing 2. Loosely mounted on this shaft is the operating roll 23 on the periphery of which is placed rubber or other similar resilient material. Rigidly mounted on one end of the roll 23 is the ratchet 24.

Loosely mounted on the shaft 22 is the disk" with the detent 31 and in the other direction by striking the head of screw 32 which engages the arm 33 mounted on the casing 2. A spring 27 serves to normally hold the lug 30 in contact with the head of the screw 32. A pawl 34 is pivotally mounted on the disk 25 and is adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet 26. The pawl 34 is provided with an extension 35 the object of which will be explained hereafter. Mounted on the other side of the disk 25 in a position exactly opposite the pawl 34 is the pawl 36 provided with an extension similar to extension 35 of the pawl 34.

A second operating roller 37 is loosely mounted on the shaft 38. A ratchet similar to the ratchet 24 is rigidly connected with the end of the roller 37. A rotatable disk 39 similar to disk 25 is loosely mounted on shaft 38 and is provided with the ratchet 40, similar to ratchet 26 described above. Rigidly connected to this ratchet is the sprocket wheel 41. A spring 42 is connected on one end to the arm 43 projecting from casing 2 and on the other to the lug 44 attached to the disk 39. A lug 45 is rigidly mounted 011 the disk 37 and is normally held in contact with screw 46 mounted in arm 47 projectingfrom the casing 2 by the action of spring 42. The rotation of the disk 39 is thereby limited in one direction by the screw 46 and in the other by the cletent 48 attached to the casing 2. A pawl 49 is pivotally mounted on the disk 39 and normally engages the teeth of the ratchet 40; This pawl is provided with the extension 50. On the other side of the disk 39 opposite to the pawl 49 is a second pawl similar to pawl 36 and normally engaging a ratchet similar to ratchet 24. Thispawl is also provided with an extension similar to extension 50 from pawl 49. An endless chain 51 engages the sprocket wheels 10 and 26 and a similar chain 52 engages the sprocket wheels 16 and 41.

Mounted on the upper part of the casing 2 by means of screw 53 is the bracket 54 on the lower" end of which is pivotally mounted Pine 63 and 64 are mounted on the rods 59 and 60 and are adapted to operate within the slots 65 and 66in the sleeves 57 and 58. It is thus evident that the downward motion of the rods 59 and 60 is limited by the buttons 61 and 62; and the upward motion by the pins 63 and 64 which come in contact with the upper ends of the slots 65 and 66. Pins 67 and 68 mounted on the rods 59 and 60 operate within the slots 56, 56 in the ends of the arm 55. At its lower end the rod 59 branches forming the two extensions 69 and 70 the ends of which engage respectively the extension from the pawl 36 and the extension 35 from the pawl 34. The rod 60 similarly branches forming the extension 71 engaging theextension 50 from the pawl 49 and a similar extension adapted to engage the extension from the pawl on the opposite side of the disk 39 from that on which the pawl 49 is placed. It is now evident that if the button 61 is premed downward, and occupies the position shown in Fig. '2, the pawls 34 and 36 are disengaged'from the ratchets 24 and 26 respectively and at the same time the rod 60 is raised by the action of arm '55 so that the pawl 49 and its companion pawl on the opposite side of disk 39 are allowed to engage their respective ratchets.

Attached to the periphery of disk 25 is the strap 72 of leather, steel or other flexible material. This strap extends upwardly through the opening 73 in the top of casing 2 and then passes over a sheave 74 loosely mounted on the shaft 75. At the end of strap 72 is a ring 76 which may be engaged in a hook 77 mounted on the frame of the car. A strap 78 similar to strap 72 is attached at one end to the disk 39 and extends upwardly through the opening 73 and then passes over the sheave 79 loosely mounted on shaft 7 5, and has on its end the ring 80 to which the conductors cord 81 is attached by means of hook 82.

The operation of my invention may now be understood.

The cloth 8 on which the names of the streets are successively printed, we will ascause the proper operation of the device the but-ton 61 is depressed thereby disengaging the pawls 34 and 36 from their associated ratohets and allowing the engagement of the pawl 49 and its companion pawl on the opposite side of disk 39 with their respective ratchets. The hook 82 of the cord 81 is attached to the ring 80. The apparatus is now ready for operation. In order to move the name of the next street into view, the conductor pulls on cord 81, the motion of which is transferred through strap 7 8 and the disk 39 is rotated until the lug 45 engages the detent 48. By this operation the roll 37 is rotated by means of the ratchet which corresponds to ratchet 24 associated with roll 23 and the cloth 8 is moved between the rolls 37 and 23 a distance corresponding to the amount of rotation of the disk 39. The ratchet 40 being simultaneously rotated by means of the pawl 49, this motion is' transferred through the sprocket 41 and chain 52 to sprocket 16 and the shaft 15 is thereby rotated. The proportion of the teeth on sprockets 41 and 16 is such that the rotation transmitted to roll 14 through its friction block is greater than the amount of slack which is to be taken up from cloth 8 no matter how much of the cloth 8 is wound on the roll 14. When the cloth 8 assumes a predetermined amount of tautness, the roll 14 is stopped and the friction block corresponding to friction block 9 associated with roll 6 continues to rotate with the shaft 15 its normal predetermined amount. Meanwhile the cloth 8 has become unwound from roll 6 an amount corresponding to the amount which is wound on roll 14, no

slack being allowed on account of the friction between the end of roll 6 and friction block 9. The pawl 34 being disengaged from ratchet 26, this ratchet and its associated sprocket 26 are allowed to rotate on the shaft 22, the friction of the ratchet 26 and the sprocket 26 on the shaft 22 and the shaft 5 in its bearing being suflicient to prevent the formation of slack in the cloth 8. WVhen the conductor releases the pressure on strap 81 the disk 39 is returned to its normal position by the spring 42, the pawl 49 and its correspondingpawl on the opposite side of the disk 39 riding over the teeth of their respective ratchets. The friction of the various parts is sufficient ordinarily to prevent the ratchets being carried back by the pawls riding over the teeth of the same, but in case any difficulty is encountered in this line, retaining pawls may be used in connection with these ratchets, which for the sake of simplicity are not shown in the drawings.

It is evident that in some cases the cloth may stretch slightly so that as the cloth passes the opening 4 the names of the streets might not be brought exactly behind this opening. In order to remedy any difficulty which might arise in this way, the screw 46 may be adjusted to regulate the amount of rotation of the disk 39 and thereby the distance through which the cloth is moved by each successive pull on the cord 81.

At the end of the route it is evident that that portion of the cloth containing the names of the streets will have passed from roll 6 to roll 14. In order to reverse the operation of my device, the but-ton 62 is now depressed thereby disengaging the pawl 49 and its corresponding pawl on the opposite side of the disk 39 from their respective ratchets and allowing the engagement of pawls 34 and 36 with ratchets 26 and 24. The hook 82 is disengaged from ring 80 and attached to the ring 76, and the ring 80 is fastened on a suitable hook 83. When the cord 81 is now pulled the disk 25 is rotated until the lug 30 comes in contact with the detent 31. Pawls 34 and 36 ride over the teeth of the ratchets 26 and 24 and on the release of the cord 81, the spring 27 moves the disk 25 back to its normal position thereby causing the cloth 8 to pass between the rolls 23 and 37 in a direction opposite to that which I have described. Simultaneously the motion of the disk 25 is transferred through sprocket 26 and chain 51 through the sprocket 10 and by means of friction block 9, the roll 6 is rotated in a clockwise direction. As described in connection with the operation of roll 14, the proportion of teeth on the sprockets 10 and 26 is such that the rotation of shaft 5 is more than sufficient to take up the slack from the cloth 8 and when a predetermined amount of tension is applied to the cloth the roll 6 remains stationary while the friction block 9 continues to rotate its predetermined amount.

It is evident that according to the construction which I have described, the roll 37 is operated by the direct pull on cord 81, whereas the roll 23 is operated directly by the action of spring 27.

Many changes could be made in the detailed construction of my apparatus without departing from the spirit of my invention.

. What I claim as new and desire to cover by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a station indicator, a pair of winding rolls, a fabric on which are indicated the names of the stations or streets, said fabric adapted to be wound from one to the other of said rolls, a pair of operating rolls between which the fabric passes, actuating means associated with each of said operating rolls, actuating means for each of said winding rolls driven by the actuating means of its corresponding operating roll, each of said actuating means comprising pawl and ratchet mechanism, and means for controlling said pawls to selectively engage the actuating mechanism with either of said operating rolls and its corresponding winding roll and to disengage the actuating mechanism from the other of said operating rolls and its corresponding winding roll, thus moving the fabric in the selective direction.

2. In a station indicator, a pair of winding rolls, a fabric on which are indicated the names of the stations or streets, said fabric adapted to be wound from one to the other of said rolls, a pair of operating rolls between which the fabric passes, a ratchet attached to each of said operating rolls, a disk associated with each of said ratchets and rotatable in relation thereto, a pawl mounted on said disk and adapted to engage said ratchet, means for rotating said disk a predetermined amount thereby rotating its associated roll, means for automatically returning said disk to its normal position, actuating means for each of said winding rolls, means for operatively connecting said actuating means with the disk associated with its corresponding operating roll, and means for selectively disengaging either of said disks from its associated ratchet, and actuatiiig means for its corresponding winding roll thereby allowing said fabric to be moved in the selected direction.

3. In a station indicator, a pair of winding rolls, a fabric on which are indicated the names of the stations or streets, said fabric adapted to be wound from one to the other of said rolls, a pair of operating rolls between the peripheries of which the fabric passes, a ratchet rigidly mounted on the end of each operating roll, a disk associated with each of said ratchets and rotatable with respect thereto, a second ratchet associated with each of said rolls but rotatable with respect thereto, a pair of pawls mounted on each if said disks, said pawls adapted to engage the ratchets associated with each operating roll, a sprocket rigidly connected with said second ratchet, a friction block associated with each of said winding rolls, a sprocket rigidly mounted on each of said friction blocks, means for connecting the sprocket associated with each operating roll with the sprocket associated with each winding roll, means for selectively rotating either of said disks, means for regulating the amount of rotation of said disk, means for automatically returning said disk to its normal position, said disk on being rotated serving to rotate its associated operating roll a predetermined amount and to rotate the friction block associated with its corresponding winding roll, thereby exerting a predetermined amount of tension on said fabric, and means for disengaging the pawls on the disk to which the actuating means are not connected from their associated ratchets, the

engagement of said pawls on the selected disk with their corresponding ratchets and the engagement of the actuating means with said disk serving to move the fabric in the select- .ed direction.

4. In a station indicator, a pair of windspect thereto, a second ratchet associated with each of said rolls but rotatable with respect thereto, a pair of pawls mounted on each of said disks, said pawls being adapted to engage corresponding ratchets, a sprocket rigidly connected with said second ratchet, a friction block associated with each of said vwinding rolls, a sprocket rigidly mounted on each of said friction blocks, means for connecting the sprocket associated with each operating roll with the sprocket associated with the corresponding winding roll, and means for selectively actuatlng either of said disks to rotate either of said winding rolls a predetermined amount, thereby exerting a predetermined amount of tension on said fabric.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 23rd day of August, A. D. 1909.

WILLIAM A. LOUTI-I.

Vvitnesses HENRY M. I-IUXLEY, LEONARD IV. NOVANDER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

